Preview — White Rose
by Kip Wilson

White Rose

Disillusioned by the propaganda of Nazi Germany, Sophie Scholl, her brother, and his fellow soldiers formed the White Rose, a group that wrote and distributed anonymous letters criticizing the Nazi regime and calling for action from their fellow German citizens. The following year, Sophie and her brother were arrested for treason and interrogated for information about theiDisillusioned by the propaganda of Nazi Germany, Sophie Scholl, her brother, and his fellow soldiers formed the White Rose, a group that wrote and distributed anonymous letters criticizing the Nazi regime and calling for action from their fellow German citizens. The following year, Sophie and her brother were arrested for treason and interrogated for information about their collaborators. This debut novel recounts the lives of Sophie and her friends and highlights their brave stand against fascism in Nazi Germany....more

Thank you NetGalley, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Children's Book Group, and Kip Wilson for the opportunity to read an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

What initially drew me to this book wasn't necessarily the description of the book itself, but the fact that it is written in poetic form. As an Ellen Hopkins fan, I love reading works written in a poetry style. The problem is, some authors nail the craft, and some are just not good. Great news: Kip Wilson's poetic form is4.5

Thank you NetGalley, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Children's Book Group, and Kip Wilson for the opportunity to read an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

What initially drew me to this book wasn't necessarily the description of the book itself, but the fact that it is written in poetic form. As an Ellen Hopkins fan, I love reading works written in a poetry style. The problem is, some authors nail the craft, and some are just not good. Great news: Kip Wilson's poetic form is gorgeously dazzling, and not a disappointment! The only thing that makes this a 4.5 instead of a 5 is that there are some stylistic choices that can be executed better, and perhaps in the final version they will be altered. For example, when another person (not the narrator) is talking, the lines or stanza is indented and in italics, but so is the dialogue tag. Having the dialogue tag in italics too threw me off a bit. Another thing I thought was super creative was stretching out certain words with spaces, such as "l o n g," and other words of similar meaning, making the word literally longer or stretched on the page. This happens about four or five times, but the stretch is in a line with other words. This would be an even greater effect if the word was isolated and spaced out even more:

"l o n g"

Aside from a few minute things like that, I loved the poetic form of this piece and the language has amazing flow. It was fun and easy to read, all while being an educational journey.

This story takes place during World War II in Germany, during Hitler's reign. One of the aspects I love about this novel is its reflection on actual history. The end of the book has a sort of glossary that highlights who the people actually, historically were, as well as defining some of the German words (I didn't see the glossary until I finished the book, since it's e-book and not print. This wasn't a huge deal for me since I'm familiar with German and was able to figure out some words based on context). This historical accuracy and development for the novel is no surprise, considering Kip Wilson's Ph.D. in German Literature.

The narration features a young girl named Sophie Scholl, an activist in the White Rose group--a non-violent resistance group in Nazi Germany. Although this story is told from the perspective of one living during the events of WWII, I find that, despite there being a number of novels out there that feature this time period, this one is unique in its telling and resonates with events today.

As an English teacher myself, I know a number of educators who would be interested in this book for Literature Circles/Book Club Groups, and it's workable for grades 7-12. This book would also be a nice alignment to read in English class if students are simultaneously studying the Holocaust. Overall, highly recommend to young readers, Holocaust historians, historical fanatics, and educators!...more

Those of us who love historical fiction love it in no small part because of its ability to illuminate the past through the lens of the time it was written. Kip Wilson's powerful debut novel feels ridiculously relevant to our times, and she manages to do it all in verse! Her strong heroine comes of age in the midst of an evil regime and still stands up for her conscience and becomes part of the resistance. This real girl has something to teach all of us about not staying silent.

Through Wilson's caring and lyrical verse, we meet Sophie Scholl, a German young woman who chose to fight back against Hitler's reign, putting herself and her family at risk. White Rose teaches us not to be complacent and instead to stand up for equal rights, to remain vigilant, and to listen to your instincts even if the people around you disapprove. White Rose is a timely and important book, especially for young people right now in America.

That the world will seeand the world will knowand the world will makethemstop

White Rose is based on the true story of Sophie Scholl, a young woman in Germany, who took a stand against the Reich during World War II. Sophie often thinks of University and her handsome German soldier, but as the confusing events in her community lead to the atrocities of World War II she knows that she must make a stand. To stay quiet is to be complicit. She will open her fellow citizen’s eyes…no matter the cost.

IThat the world will seeand the world will knowand the world will makethemstop

White Rose is based on the true story of Sophie Scholl, a young woman in Germany, who took a stand against the Reich during World War II. Sophie often thinks of University and her handsome German soldier, but as the confusing events in her community lead to the atrocities of World War II she knows that she must make a stand. To stay quiet is to be complicit. She will open her fellow citizen’s eyes…no matter the cost.

I fell in love with the cover of this book and after reading a brief summary I knew I had to read it! I was excited when NetGalley approved me for an advance read of this book, however that excitement quickly plummeted when I realized it was entirely in verse! I have never been a fan of verse, but it had been years since I was forced to read complicated verse in school, so I figured I would give it a try. I read a few “chapters” and was quickly pulled into Sophie’s world. I devoured this book in no time and was not disappointed. There is no elaborate world building or character descriptions, yet thanks to Kip Wilson’s beautiful verse I had no trouble immersing myself into Sophie’s world.

I would absolutely recommend this book. Kip Wilson wonderfully represents the story of Sophie Scholl and the White Rose. A truly powerful read. ...more

A beautifully written free-verse poetry book about the story of three German resistance fighters from the group, the White Rose. Told primarily from Sophie Scholl’s perspective and begins literally at THE END when Sophie is being interrogated by the Nazi gestapo.

The background is told in flashback sections that give depth and meaning to the characters. The White Rose made leaflets about the true horrors of the Hitler Nazi regime and encouraged Germans to rise up against it.

The writing style giA beautifully written free-verse poetry book about the story of three German resistance fighters from the group, the White Rose. Told primarily from Sophie Scholl’s perspective and begins literally at THE END when Sophie is being interrogated by the Nazi gestapo.

The background is told in flashback sections that give depth and meaning to the characters. The White Rose made leaflets about the true horrors of the Hitler Nazi regime and encouraged Germans to rise up against it.

The writing style gives each word so much weight and renders a unique twist to this powerful true story. One of my favorite poems in it says: “won’t acknowledgethat our strongest weaponis our refusalto follow blindly.”

Sophie Scholl refused to be complicit to the Nazi atrocities and paid the ultimate price for her beliefs. Her story is heroic and still very applicable today. In the author Kip Wilson’s poetic words:“singing banned songsreading banned books things we do becauseideascannotbe banned.”

White Rose is proof that a lot can be said by saying less. White Rose sends a powerful message of Sophie and her friends forming this group to survive Nazi Germany and even when Sophie and her brother get captured and charged for treason, she still remains brave and fighting for justice against Nazi Germany. The book was so deep and powerful and written so uniquely brilliant that we could not put this down and we know a lot of our patrons will be interested in the book.

Thank you Netgalley and thWhite Rose is proof that a lot can be said by saying less. White Rose sends a powerful message of Sophie and her friends forming this group to survive Nazi Germany and even when Sophie and her brother get captured and charged for treason, she still remains brave and fighting for justice against Nazi Germany. The book was so deep and powerful and written so uniquely brilliant that we could not put this down and we know a lot of our patrons will be interested in the book.

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. We will definitely consider this title for our YFiction collection. That is why we give this book 5 stars!...more

The White Rose captures the true story of Sophie Scholl, a young woman in Germany, who took a stand against the Reich. This YA novel in verse dives into some of the most terrifying waters of history. Reading about how Sophie comes of age, inside and out, in the middle of one of the most evil times in history, is a relevant and moving example that is so incredibly important today. By the end, I felt so close to these characters—so connected.

The poetry is tight, well-crafted, and the images evokeThe White Rose captures the true story of Sophie Scholl, a young woman in Germany, who took a stand against the Reich. This YA novel in verse dives into some of the most terrifying waters of history. Reading about how Sophie comes of age, inside and out, in the middle of one of the most evil times in history, is a relevant and moving example that is so incredibly important today. By the end, I felt so close to these characters—so connected.

The poetry is tight, well-crafted, and the images evoke the emotion of the story in such a powerful way--so well-paced. Gripping!

I got an ARC of this book and cannot say enough how much I loved it. I really enjoyed the way this book was written in verse. I felt it made it even more powerful in certain areas where it emphasized powerful thoughts that Sophie had. While I knew many Germans didn’t agree with what was going on at this time, it was really eye opening to see how a young girl, a teenager, decided to fight back and stand up for what was right. I hadn’t heard of the White Rose Rebellion before this book. After readI got an ARC of this book and cannot say enough how much I loved it. I really enjoyed the way this book was written in verse. I felt it made it even more powerful in certain areas where it emphasized powerful thoughts that Sophie had. While I knew many Germans didn’t agree with what was going on at this time, it was really eye opening to see how a young girl, a teenager, decided to fight back and stand up for what was right. I hadn’t heard of the White Rose Rebellion before this book. After reading this, I feel the need to learn more about Sophie and this movement she helped spread. This book was so moving, emotional, and heart wrenching. ...more

This book was a powerful one! I LOVED it so much. It's a retelling by the author, Kip Wilson, of the life of Sophie Scholl. Sophie knew the Nazi regime was wrong and she couldn't just stand by and do nothing. She , along with her brother, formed a nonviolent resistance group, The White Rose. This book is their story...mostly Sophie's. It's beautifully written and utterly devastating.I received a copy of this from netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

I received an ARC at YALL Fest! For some reason, I sadly had never heard of Sophie or the White Rose before this book. This is the second novel I've read in verse, and this one resonated with me much more than the first. Powerful, sad, hopeful...I'd definitely pick this one up. It's a quick read, but now I want to go learn more about the White Rose Resistance.

I've loved Sophie Scholl since I first read about her as a young teen, and I've been waiting for a book like this - accessible to teens, told thoroughly and unflinchingly, and a true tribute to Sophie's courage and integrity. Even though I'm very familiar with the historical events of Scholl's life, the book captivated me. Taut, lyrical, and haunting. This is a book I won't forget.

One of the most beautiful YA novels I've ever read. I didn't know if I liked novels in verse before I read WHITE ROSE, but this one was so well done it made my cry. This should be required reading in every high school. I can't recommend it enough.

I read this in one sitting. Couldn't put it down. Written in verse, it tells the true story of Sophie, her brother and their friends who refuse to do nothing in the face of Nazi atrocities. I couldn't be more impressed with this extraordinary debut

The story White Rose, by Kip Wilson is an elegantly written book about a resistance movement that took place in Nazi Germany. This book is written in verse, which made the book very smooth and poetic.

While White Rose is told from multiple points of view, it primarily centers around the main character, Sophie Scholl. Sophie is growing up in Nazi Germany, and while her family is not directly persecuted like so many others of the time, her family deeply upset by the direction their country has takThe story White Rose, by Kip Wilson is an elegantly written book about a resistance movement that took place in Nazi Germany. This book is written in verse, which made the book very smooth and poetic.

While White Rose is told from multiple points of view, it primarily centers around the main character, Sophie Scholl. Sophie is growing up in Nazi Germany, and while her family is not directly persecuted like so many others of the time, her family deeply upset by the direction their country has taken. This leads Sophie to feel the need to do anything she can, which she does in the form of a resistance movement, through leaflets and bulletins.

Another interesting element of the book is that it flips back and forth from past to present. In the very beginning of the book, the reader is made aware that Sophie has been captured and is being interrogated for a crime. What crime, we are not exactly sure. Throughout the book, you learn that more about Sophie and the events that lead her to pursue the path she is on, and the exact meaning of her capture.

This book was extraordinarily engaging and interesting, and I enjoyed it very much. It was interesting to learn about a different aspect from the time of the holocaust, a side that is not often told. I would recommend this book to anyone who has the slightest interest in history at all. I would highly recommend this book....more

10/5 stars for sure! this book was amazing, so amazing it’s now on my all time favorites list! This is an incredibly sad and moving collection of poetry. I was initially worried about reading a novel in poem form, turned out great I don’t think it would have been the same story without that format. I really enjoyed the little poems from other points of view. I was so moved by this story, I had never really learned about it, although the name Sophie scholl was familiar to me. Although the poems t10/5 stars for sure! this book was amazing, so amazing it’s now on my all time favorites list! This is an incredibly sad and moving collection of poetry. I was initially worried about reading a novel in poem form, turned out great I don’t think it would have been the same story without that format. I really enjoyed the little poems from other points of view. I was so moved by this story, I had never really learned about it, although the name Sophie scholl was familiar to me. Although the poems themselves were pretty basic and straightforward, the way they read off the page is so effortless. One of the many amazing books I read this year, but it’s definitely at the top. ...more

This book reminded me of The Watch that Ends the Night because of the various perspectives it seemed to weave in. There are not a huge number of books written about the Holocaust in free verse, so that also makes this title very appealing. It presented a really interesting aspect of the Holocaust: the resistance by exploring the various events and carefully crafting images that allowed readers to feel as if they were a part of the story.

Kip Wilson is the author of White Rose, a YA novel-in-verse about anti-Nazi political activist Sophie Scholl. White Rose won the 2017 PEN New England Susan P. Bloom Children's Book Discovery Award and is a 2019 Winter/Spring Indies Introduce title. It's coming on April 2, 2019 with HMH’s Versify imprint. Kip holds a Ph.D. in German Literature, is the poetry editor at YARN (Young Adult Review NetwoKip Wilson is the author of White Rose, a YA novel-in-verse about anti-Nazi political activist Sophie Scholl. White Rose won the 2017 PEN New England Susan P. Bloom Children's Book Discovery Award and is a 2019 Winter/Spring Indies Introduce title. It's coming on April 2, 2019 with HMH’s Versify imprint. Kip holds a Ph.D. in German Literature, is the poetry editor at YARN (Young Adult Review Network), and wrote her doctoral dissertation about the poet Rainer Maria Rilke. She's lived in Germany, Austria, and Spain, and currently calls Boston home....more